MG Rover on the comeback trail

The MGF first went on sale in 1995 in Britain and Europe, and in it's seven year lifespan it has kept the MG badge from slipping into oblivion.

The cute MGF roadster first cruised on to Australian roads in 1997, but has failed to make a big impact here.

Right now, however, the MG Rover Group is experiencing a rivival of sorts, with consumer interest up and those nagging debts down.

The new MG ZT, with it's super-pliable handling and above-average engine, is putting MG back into the minds of Australian car buyers, while a plethora of more powerful models are set to make a lot of drivers smile in the next few years.

The MGF, however, is well past its use-by date and, as such, the new MG TF will be arriving Down Under in September 2002 - just a few weeks off (circa Aug 21).

It's going to be a seriously interesting Christmas period this year, with Ford, Holden, Toyota, Mitsubishi and now MG all throwing new models into the fray.

But back to the MGF's replacement - the MG TF. Not quite an all-new car, but not just a face-lift either, the new car from Great Britain is quite a step up from its shakey precursor.

The only major aspect carried over from the ageing MGF roadster is the car's chassis, while suspension, panels, lights and interior are all-new. The engines are the same as those found in the MGF, though they have been tweaked to offer slightly more power.

As is obvious from the images, the MG TF looks fairly different to the MGF - yet there are still similarities between the two. Both profiles are similar, as you can tell from the side-on photo, while immediately one can tell that the front-end has had plenty of work.

The new-look smoked headlight cluster is much more pleasing than the generic 'circular' halogen headlights. Together with a bigger front air dam, it not only looks more aggressive, but this also allows the new MG TF to supply the engine with even more cold air - hence more power, plus new aluminium radiators also help keep things cool.

With a sexier grille, the new projector xenon headlights, a new rear end - incorporating a deck-lid spoiler and larger bore exhaust pipes - the MG TF is one serious looker. The original was criticised by a few writers as being too 'cutesy' - MG obviously took this criticism seriously...

While much of the new car's looks have changed - and for the better, we should add - the handling characteristics are expected to be much improved over what was considered to be a rather lethargic drive.

With a lower stance and bigger wheels (16-inch stock) making for more grip, the deeper front and rear aprons also help to increase downforce considerably.

The MGF used what is called Hydragas suspension, which, at the time, were considered innovative. General opinion now is that they held the car back and made it too twitchy.

As such, MG has addressed this point and scrapped the worthless Hydragas suspension in favour of coil springs. Uprated gas dampers also make the cut, with a multi-link rear end and double wishbones up front.

MG is claiming the change results in greater driver involvement, and we'd be loathe to doubt them. If the MG ZT is anything to go by, then MG Rover is becoming quite adept at tuning suspension these days.

Ride and handling will also benefit from a stiffer and less 'flexy' vehicle. Among other things, three new cross braces increase rigidity by some 20 percent.

Standard equipment for the new MG drop top range includes ABS, alloy wheels, CD stereo, electric windows/mirrors, remote central locking, twin airbags and air conditioning. Not a bad sort, the MG TF...

While the new roadster gets a sexy new look, it's a shame that a slew of new engines weren't included into the deal. Still, the British marque has tuned it's existing mills to provide a bit more poke this time around.

There are three models to choose from - all deriving power from MG's K-series 1.8-litre engines. At the bottom of the heap is the only automatic model - the MG TF 120, which uses a rather eccentric CVT, or continuously variable transmission.

You normally find these on two-stroke scooters, and why MG decided to include one in the MG TF line-up is anyone's guess. To be brutally honest, they offer a poor driving experience, yet they will appeal to some.

This CVT 120 model pumps out slightly less than 90kW of power, whereas the slightly cheaper MG TF 135 manages to transfer 100kW through its mid-mounted engine, then directly to the rear wheels, offering a better performance hit.

The MG TF 135 manages the 100km/h sprint, from rest, in 8.8 seconds and tops out at just over 200km/h. Not bad for a 1.8 four banger. At the top of the scale, however, is the more expensive MG TF 160, which benefits from a modified exhaust system, stiffer suspension, bigger brakes, not to mention redesigned cam profiles and a new induction system.

For the extra three-and-a-half large it costs for the 160, you do get quite a bang for your buck. It puts out some 120kW of power @ 6900rpm - it revs almost as hard as Honda's famed Type R models. Peak torque is 174Nm @ 4700rpm, providing a very usable power-band between 5000 and 7000rpm. This equates to a 0-100km/h time of just 6.9 seconds (claimed), and the TF 160 can power on to an impressive top speed of 220km/h.

While the automatic TF 120 model gets the woogly CVT gearbox, the 135 and 160 models gets five speed manual transmissions. When all is said and done, price will be the big decision for some, but when the base model costs roughly the same as the Mazda MX-5, things may start to go MG Rover's way.

At the end of the day, there's nothing quite like the power delivery of a mid-engined, rear-drive roadster, and the MG TF is arguably one of the best-looking small rag tops on offer. To be launched on September 1, 2002, and together with the standard features, re-tuned engines and a completely new suspension array, the MG TF will appeal to a much wider audience than the MGF.

Pricing:

TF 120: $47,500
TF 135: $46,500
TF 160: $50,000